


Down on my Knees

by benjaminrussell



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Grief, Pacific Rim Uprising Spoilers, Raleigh deals with one of the events of Uprising, canon character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-07 23:50:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14092437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/benjaminrussell/pseuds/benjaminrussell
Summary: Raleigh is halfway across the world when it happens.





	Down on my Knees

Raleigh is halfway across the world teaching his god-daughter the basics of bike maintenance when it happens. While his connection with Mako is so weak at this distance that it can’t even remotely be classified as a ghost drift, he knows the exact moment when she dies. If he wasn’t already kneeling next to his motorbike, he would have been driven to his knees, but even so it’s immediately obvious to Sasha that something’s wrong.

“Are you okay, Uncle Raleigh?” The eight year old asks, putting down the rag she’d been clutching so she can lean in and wrap her arms around him as best as she can, not having a clue why he’s suddenly upset but still knowing that he needs a hug. He shakes his head, unable to get any words out past the sudden lump in his throat, but hugs her back until he feels like he can speak again.

“Auntie Mako’s been hurt,” He says, and she doesn’t question how he knows as she knows about their connection although she doesn’t fully understand it, just hugs him tighter in the hope that it will help. And it does, and even if the comfort it provides is only a small dent in the all encompassing grief now dominating his mind and body, he’ll take what he can get. They stay like that, kneeling on the floor of the garage and clinging to each other until Raleigh sighs into Sasha’s hair, which is currently braided just like her namesake’s, and pulls away. He needs to tell Tendo and Alison, and then he needs to find a way to Hong Kong. He stands up and beckons for Sasha to follow him as he tells her, “We’ll finish this later. Let’s go find your mom and dad.” With the energy only a child has, she darts past him and runs into the house, her shouts loud enough to be heard no matter where in the building her parents are.

“Mummy! Daddy!” Raleigh follows the noise, through the kitchen and into the living room, and the urgency in Sasha’s voice was clearly evident enough that both Tendo and Alison appear shortly after, looking worriedly first at their daughter, and then at Raleigh himself when there doesn’t look to be anything wrong with her.

“What happened?” Tendo asks, brow furrowing because he can tell whatever it was it was bad. It’s all Raleigh can do to stop himself breaking down then and there at the sight of his friend’s concern, so he knows how broken his voice must sound as he breaks the bad news, “Mako’s dead.” And then before he can say anything else, he finds himself being hugged by the entire Choi family – Tendo in front of him, Alison behind him, and Sasha sandwiched between them with her head against his waist.

“I don’t know what happened, but I know she’s gone. I can feel it,” He mumbles into Tendo’s shoulder, stupidly glad that he’s here with the three of them instead of alone in his apartment, the warmth from their bodies and the firm grip they’ve all got on him keeping the despair that’s fighting to drag him under at bay.

“I need to go to Hong Kong,” He adds after a while, attempting to plan the best way of getting there, although his brain doesn’t seem to be quite working properly.

“I’ll use my old contacts to get us seats on the next PPDC flight out,” Alison states, tone brokering no room for argument, “We’re coming with you and don’t even think about trying to persuade us otherwise.” Tendo nods in agreement, and adds softly, “Just remember, you’re not alone.”

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come shout at me on [tumblr](%E2%80%9Cbenjaminrussell.tumblr.com%E2%80%9D) about the new film.


End file.
